Navigating Inclusion Support in the Cowichan Valley

Charting our Journey

The Cowichan Valley School District is reaching out to families, friends, advocates, and partner groups who support learners with disabilities or diverse abilities to inform district communication processes.

Feedback from parents, caregivers, advocates and partner groups has led the district to carefully look at how we communicate with those that support learners with disabilities and diverse abilities. Current access to this information may cause confusion, frustration, and stress for families and we want to change that.

To that end, the District is launching this survey for anyone who currently, or may need to, navigate the District system for their diverse learner. The goal of this survey is to find out how to best provide accurate, timely, and factual information in an accessible manner.

For the purpose of this survey, we are using the term 'students with disabilities or diverse ability'. We are defining this term as: a school-age student who has an impairment of an intellectual, neurodevelopmental, psychological, physical, physiological, sensory, social/emotional, or behavioural nature, or has exceptional gifts or talents.

A simpler definition is any student who does need, or may need, additional supports to reach their full potential.

The following questions will help us learn how you currently access this information and how we can change to better serve you.

Question Title

* 1. How are you connected to the Cowichan Valley School District (check all that apply)?

Parent, Grandparent, Other Family Member, or Guardian of a student with a disability or diverse ability who is currently in a school in the Cowichan Valley School District

Parent, Grandparent, Other Family Member or Guardian of a future student with disability or diverse ability in the Cowichan Valley School District

Parent, Grandparent, Other Family Member, or Guardian of future student in the Cowichan Valley School District who may need extra supports

Advocate for student with disability or diverse ability in Cowichan Valley School District

Advocate for future student with disability or diverse ability in Cowichan Valley School District

Advocate for people with disabilities or diverse ability

Staff member

Work for community support agency or Ministry

Private practitioner

Community Member

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. Where do you currently find information

School staff

Friends

The Cowichan Valley School District website

British Columbia Confederacy of Parent Advisory Councils (BCCPAC)

(Cowichan Valley School District) District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) – this includes the DPAC Parents for Inclusive Education (PIE) sub-committee

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. What was your experience when looking for that information?

Question Title

* 4. What do you need to know to help support your child’s educational journey?

Question Title

* 5. What would improve the experience of finding that information?

Question Title

* 6. What is your preference for communication?

Social Media (Facebook / Twitter)

Phone call

Text message

Handouts / brochures

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 7. In order to align with best practice and the new requirements under the BC Accessibilities Act, the District is developing an Accessibility Plan. The BC Accessibilities Act aims to find and address barriers that affect individuals with disabilities.

Please see this summary of the BC Accessibilities Act: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/about-the-bc-government/accessibility/legislation/summary#02

For this section of the survey, we are defining disability as: an inability to take part fully and equally in society because of the interaction of an impairment and a barrier.

We would like to invite you to share your experiences and insights about barriers to learning you may have faced in the past, about their learning opportunities.

Please take a moment to share barriers you have experienced or identified.